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Rockies go deep in defeat

Team hits three home runs but falls well short against Rays

The Associated Press

Posted:
05/05/2013 10:23:31 PM MDT

Updated:
05/05/2013 10:23:39 PM MDT

DENVER -- Giving up three home runs was both humbling and a relief for Alex Cobb.

As much as it stung to get dinged like that, Cobb limited the damage by yielding only solo shots, allowing him to pitch effectively into the seventh inning as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Colorado Rockies 8-3 Sunday.

"Obviously, I'm upset that I gave up three home runs, but the fact that they were all solo shots means I was keeping guys off base for the most part," Cobb said. "I feel good. I'm happy I gave the team a chance to win. I probably couldn't ask for better situations for those home runs to be hit in."

Rays manager Joe Maddon said it takes a different mindset to pitch in Denver's mile-high elevation and and that means shrugging off the occasional homer.

"When you're playing in zero gravity, man, you've got to understand that's going to happen and you can not let that bother you," Maddon said. "It's going to happen. Accept it and move on."

Cobb battled the elements with a stoic outlook and something as simple as running his pitching hand frequently through his hair, wet with sweat, to help get a firm grip on the ball in the dry, thin air.

"I kind of just started wiping my hair a little bit," Cobb said. "By going to my hair and grabbing some moisture there, that helped out a lot."

His teammates also pitched in on the offensive end, more-so with timely hitting than a power display.

Jose Lobaton, Ryan Roberts and Kelly Johnson each drove in two runs for the Rays.

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Tampa Bay took two of three and won a series at Coors Field for the first time in four visits.

Cobb (4-2) went 62/3 innings and allowed eight hits. Nolan Arenado hit a two-out homer in the seventh that pulled the Rockies within 6-3, a day after the rookie had a grand slam.

The Rockies, however, went 0-9 with runners in scoring position.

"Other than the middle game of the series, we struggled with runners in scoring position," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "We hit some home runs, but if nobody hits with runners in scoring position, it's tough."

Coming into the game, Cobb had only given up two home runs in his five previous starts. But he wriggled out of trouble in key spots, getting two of his six strikeouts in the sixth after a throwing error put a Rockies baserunner on second with one out.

"That's what good pitchers do," Roberts said. "You're going to give up hits. You're going to give up homers but minimizing the damage is the best thing and that's what he did. He controlled the game."

Lobaton stretched Tampa Bay's lead in the eighth with a two-run single after a second passed ball by catcher Wilin Rosario allowed baserunners Evan Longoria and James Loney to advance to third and second, respectively.

Tampa Bay jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first off Jhoulys Chacin, who was activated from the 15-day disabled list prior to the game. He

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